Swimming cap



Dec. 2s, 1937. w, R BARNES 2,103,886

SWIMMING CAP Filed June 18, 195e ZECZ WAL ree fzeef .5w/vid.

' www! Patented Dec. 28, 1937 z PATENT oFFieE SWIMMING'CAP l Walter Pierre Barnes, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 18, 1936, Serial No. 85,903 z claims. (o1. z s'sl' This invention relates to improvements" in swimming caps, and more particularly to caps made of rubber, rubberized fabric or some equiv-v alent waterproof substance and placed over the head of a user when swimming, bathing, shower- Y ing or the like to maintain the hair dry, although theA invention may have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.A

Heretofore, diiculty has been experienced in providingia bathing orswimming cap that is both attractive as well as eiiicient. This is especially true with female users, since in many instances caps that provide a pleasing appearance permit water to seep beneath the cap around the ears or l5 adjacent the nape of the neck, where the hair is frequently piled the thickest when the cap is in position. This, vof course, is highly objectionable, because only a relatively small portion of the hair need be wetted to ruin a coiffure. I am aware that in an endeavor to solve. such a problem, caps have been provided with a pneumatic tube, which may' beinflated as desired; running around the rim of a cap, the tube either beingV fixed in position entirely around the rim or A fixed at kone point'andclampable yin position f aroundthe rim by the user. All'of these caps of` which I am aware were mainly of the bag type as distinguished from the tailored type which lies ilat, oneV side upon the other, with the fold along 30 a central seam when the cap is not in use.

l Obviously, the tailored formv of cap is the most desirable, because one of the major objects in providing a bathing cap for women is to style the cap so that it will not detract from the beauty of Y the user. A bathing cap having a pneumatic tube Y running entirely around the rim thereof Vis highly objectionable for the reason that, regardless of the smartness of the particular cap, the pneumatic tube which is on the inside of the cap will cause a bulge, and in the regions of the head where there is no hair, such as the forehead and temple regions, such a bulge gives the highly objectional appearance of the user being aiilicted with a rather hideous cranial deformity. In addition,

all caps made heretofore utilizing a pneumatic tube and of which I am aware had a tube or valve exposed in an unsightly manner, detracting matey rially from the attractiveness of the cap.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the y of a bathing or swimming cap having the aforesaid features and which is made in the form of a tailored bathing cap of a,` character that will lie `flat with the fold alongV a central seam when `not in use.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a swimming cap having an inflatable portion near the edgeof the cap extending over the ears,y

behind vthe ears and across the nape of the neck,

but which terminates short of ythejforehead of 10A the user, permitting the. front portion of the cap to seat tightly against, the forehead of thefuser.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a swimming cap having an inflatable portion therein, the inflation of which is con- 15, trolled by valve means, the structure of the cap being such that when in use, said valve means are concealed from the eye of an observer. 'd

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a. swimming cap` of a tailored style, 20 shaped to cover the ears of a user andprovided With pneumatic or inflatable means at the sides and rear portions thereof Vwhich do not in any manner detract from the tailored appearance of the cap when in use. r

Also a feature of this invention is the provision of a swimming cap having an inflatable portion substantially integrally formed therein, with the front portion of the cap being free of said inflatable portion so as to fit snugly against the fore- 30 head of the usen,

While .some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the disclosures hereinafter, 35

' II-II of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; 45

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken substantially as indicated by the line III- III of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary exploded vertical sectional view, illustrating a modif-led form of construction.

As shown on the drawing:

In the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, there is seen a bathing cap made of rubber, rubberized fabric or equivalent waterproof material. The cap comprises a body portion 5 having a depending part 6 on'each sidethereof to overlie the ears of Va user, and being shaped in the forward portion, as indicated at "I,

to expose the face and snugly fit the head. Y The cap is of the tailored style and when not inV use will lie flat, one side upon the other, With the fold along the center rib 8. The cap is held upon the wearers head with the aid of a chin strap 9 structure of the chin strap and buckle is best seen in the left hand part of Figure 4. Y

It Willbe noted that the front portion of the cap when it is properly disposed onA the head of a user fits the forehead snugly, as indicated at Y IZ, there being very little likelihood of seepage ofV Water beneath'the cap in this region, andthe hair line is dis-posed -a 'material distance from V the edge yof the cap. I-Ievvever, over 4and behind the ears and across' ythe nape of the neck, 4 there is more danger of Vwater seeping beneath the cap,

and to prevent this, the cap Ais provided in this region With a pneumatic-or inflatable portion I3, which is preferably continuous, extending substantially frornthe 'temple on one side, over the earfdovvn'behind the Year, across the Inape Aof vthe neck,` up behind the lother ear and Vover this ear to the opposite-temple. that 'the pneumatic portion Iis also shaped in keeping With the tailored shape of the cap and isdisposed in a regionrjwhere the bulge created by the ination of the `pneumatic portion is offset by the mass ofhair thereadjacent, soV that there will be no unsightly appearance. With the cap tting snugly over the forehead-Which regionY of the cap is free from the pneumatic portion, the cap will not'in any manner detract from the'ape' pearance of the user and yet Will be extremely eiicien-t against seepage.

I The pneumatic portion I3 may be either perl manently inflated and sealedbr lit may be provided With a valve for selective inflation and deiiation. I-n'the present instance, the pneumatic portion I3 is preferably formed by vulcanizing or equivalently attaching a relatively thin strip I4 of impervious materiaL' such asV rubber, to the body portion 5 of the cap, as indicated at I5.

The strip I4 is so attachedV along its marginal edges, leaving the central portion rather loose to rbetterY accommodate inflation'. With reference to Figure 1, it will be seen lthat theV portion I3 may be selectively inated or deflated through a valve element I6 which may be of any suitable or desirableV construction. i v

In Figure 4, I have shown a slightly modified form of construction, wherein all of the previously describedlstructure is present, but the valve is positioned vso as to underlie one of the snap elements II ofthe chin strane. The outer porft'ion of the valve is-shaped, as Vindicated at I'I', Vin the Vmanner of a male snap member, so that the snap II may engage the Vpart- I'l, whereby the valve is concealed by the end of the chin strap and so will not detract in any manner from the beauty Vof the cap.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided Va bathing or swimming cap which may be made vin' `a tailored style, Whichjefectively prevents .leaka'g'e'or seepage of water therebeneath, and which will not detract from 4Vthe beauty or appearance of the user when Worn. Further, thecap is economical Vto manufacture, durable and lmay include fan inflatable portion selectively inflatable or deflatable vwith no parts exposed in an unsightly manner when in use.

I am aware 'that many 4changes may be made and numerous detailsrof construction may be variedthrough a Wide range Without departing fromY the principles of this invention, and I, therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than is necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

Yl. As an article -of manufacture, a swimming cap having an inflatable portion therein, a valve controlling the inflation `of said portion, and a chin strap having 4a free end engageable overthe outer partof said valve to anchor theend of the strap andV conceal the valve.

2. As an' article of manufacture,-a swimming cap .having an inflatable portion therein, a snap member housingV a valve 'controlli-ng the inflation of Vsaid portion, and a chin strap havi-ng'a free partY carrying a cooperative snap member for engagementl with the first snap member to anchor the free part ofthe strap and conceal the valve.

WALTER PIERRE BARNES. 

